The former outfielder died Monday at age 54 at Pomerado Hospital in Poway, California, according to a release from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Gwynn had cancer, the release said.

Gwynn was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, amassing a total of 3,141 hits in 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres from 1982-2001, according to the Hall of Fame. He won eight National League batting championships.

He was a key member, the release said, of the 1984 and 1998 San Diego Padres National League Championship teams.